Aeroplane



AEROPLANE Filed Qct. 14, 1929 s SheetS -Sheet 1 iNVENTOR p Zia416221601161.

BY w

E. H. LANIER March 11, I930.

AEROPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1929 iNVENTOR fawardflkfliefiATTORNEY March 11, EJ-LLANERv 7 1,750,529

AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 14, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY E. H. LANIERAEROPLANE March 11, 1930.

Filed Oct. 14, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 iNVENTOR Ewardfllmze ATTORNEY March11, 1930.

E. H. LANIER 1,750,529

AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 14, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [F I lrl W INVENTOR m V A[dwardflla ziwz M ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARDH. LANIER, OI MIAMI, FLORIDA AEROPLANE Application filed October 14,1929. Serial No. 399,632.

My invention relates to the art of aerial navigation and it particularlyhas to do with the heavier-than-air type of craft.

Primarily, the invention has for its object to provide an aeroplane thatwill, by its own fixed construction and design and without the pilotsaid, maintain an even keel while in flight and will volplane on an evenlateral keel without the aid of a pilot or the motor.

Further, it is an object to provide a machine that will not nose dive,side slip or tail spin under rdinary circumstances, but should thishappen, the machine will right itself without the pilots aid. A furtherobject is to provide such a machine which adheres strictly to the sametheory of flight, the same general construction, ailerons, rudder andelevators as used on present time planes.

Further, it is an object to provide an areoplane of great inherentstability which will be particularly useful for aerial school studentpassenger flights around aerial fields, and will be especially useful todevelop confidence in those afraid of the present high speed planes.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my inventionconsists in the novel features of construction and in the combination,connection and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described,and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an areoplane embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 5 isa vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 9 is a detail section on theline 99 of Figure 5.

In the drawings in which is disclosed a preferred embodiment of theinvention, 1 represents the keel extending in a stream line andcomprising the back-bone of the vehicle. Located beneath the keel is asuitable cabin 2 which may contain the controls (not shown) for thevarious operating instrumentalities (engine, ailerons, elevators,rudders). The cabin has a floor 3, a front wall 4 extending downwardlyand rearwardly from the keel and of V-shape in horizontal section,thereby offering but little wind resistance, a rear wall 5 similar inform to the front wall, and side walls 2 which diverge downwardly fromthe keel to the flood.

Suitable landing gear is provided and comprises legs 6 diverging fromthe keel 1, braces 8 extending from the front of the cabin adjacent thefloor downwardly and outwardly to the legs 6, wheels 9 mounted at thebottom of the legs and a tail skid 13.

It will be noticed that the keel extends forwardly to overhang the cabinand the forward end is provided with an engine base 10 for the engine 11which drives the propeller 12.

Above the keel is a fuselage composed of a suitably braced frame workwith walls covering the sides, ends and part of the top. The side wallsare continuous from the front to therear in stream lines and divergeupwardly from the keel. The fore part 18 of the side walls extendsforwardly and upwardly above the cabin to constitute the sides of a nosewhose front wall 24 inclines upwardly and forwardly from the keeladjacent the front of the cabin to a certain level and then curvesupwardly and rearwardly to comprise the short top wall 21. That portionof the fuselage body above the cabin is open at the top to constitutewhat I shall hereinafter term a vacuum chamber 20.

To the rear of the chamber 20 the fuselage body is closed by the sidewall portions 19, a top wall 34, rear wall 44 and partition wall 43, thelatter being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the keel toward thetop of the fuselage body.

Along the upper edge of the outer wall which extends along the sides ofthe chamber 20 are flanges 22 whose purpose is to deflect the air awayfrom the upper side edges of the chamber 20 and prevent its curling overthose edges into the chamber.

The fore end of the fuselage body is braced to the extended end of thekeel and motor base by struts 23, and an air stream splitting andlaterally diverging member 25 is provided between the base 10 and thesurface 24.

\Vings 26 have spars 27 extended from the keel, the adjacent edges ofthe wings being spaced from the fuselage body and keel and are providedwith vertical air channel vanes 29 for a purpose presently to beexplained.

The wings are braced at 7 to the legs 6 of the landing gear and at 28 tothe vanes 29 and to the fuselage frame.

The machine is provided with horizontal stabilizers l4, elevators 15, avertical stabilizer l6 and rubber 17, all being of any approvedconstruction.

Mounted on the fuselage and preferabl on top thereof is a tail spincheck vane 30 w ich is hinged at 31 and has a stop 32 to engage a fixedstop 33 when the vane opens up. The vane normally lies parallel to andin close juxtaposition to the fuselage body but it is spaced slightlytherefrom by strips 36 of rubber, wood or other suitable material toprevent air suction under the same.

The vane may also be notched as at 37 to straddle the adjacentstabilizer.

The top wall 34 of the fuselage body is slotted at to receive thepivoted end of the vane 30 and brace rods 38 are pivoted to the vane andpass through ears 39 on the side walls of the fuselage so as tocooperate with the stops 32 and 33. The rods'38 have rubber bumpers 40and stop nuts 41 as indicated.

The usual ailerons 42 may be provided on the wings.

In order to prevent rain water accumulating in the chamber 20, asuitable drain 45 is provided and in order not to break the vacuum inthe chamber during the normal operation of the plane the drain 45 may beprovided with a back check valve 46.

The wings 26 are preferably inclined upwardly from their inner towardtheir outer edges or tips as best shown in Figure 3.

The novel form of the fuselage body of the plane with a vacuum chamberin the front part, upwardly and outwardly inclined side wallslongitudinally parallel with the stream line its full length, the airchannel vanes attached to the inner ends of the wings longitudinallyparallel with the central vertical longitudinal plane of the fuselageand no covering to the wings between the fuselage and air channel vanes,provides a construction which creates longitudinal air channels adjacentthe middle of the machine when the machine is travelling on an evenkeel. When volplaning towards the earth, or should the machine go into anose dive, the air currents will flow through the air channels morevertically. In either case this flow of air creates a powerful vacuum orupward pull in the vacuum chamber and in conjunction with the airpressure on the outside of the fuselage has great stabilizing effect.

Another important advantage of the vacuum chamber is that the vacuumchamber is located at the highest point, bringing the center of gravityin a vertical line directly beneath the vacuum chamber.

The arrangement of the wings at an angle with their outer ends higherthan in the center also has great stabilizing effect, especially as theadjacent ends of the wings are separated from the fuselage body andkeel, which permits a current of air to pass through.

\Vings which extend entirely across the wing span without a break in thecenter balance very delicately; an opening in the center, however,permits a current of air to pass through and greatly reduce the tendencyof the wings to fight compression and get out of balance.

When the machine for any reason goes into a tail spin the tail vaneopens. This vane is hinged at its forward end only and when the plane isin the forward flight it lies on the fuselage entirely neutral. and doesnot in any way affect the machine in flight, but should the machinestall and go into a spiral tail spin backwardly this vane willimmediately open and throw the tail of the machine to the right or left,thus bringing the frontof the machine down partially sideways and as itbegins to volplane it will right itself. At the same time the tail vanewill immediately close down on the fuselage body in its normal position.

IVhile I have located this tail vane on the top of the fuselage body ina horizontal position. it could be located on the sides of the fuselagein a vertical position with the same mechanical construction.

The tail vane at this point of the fuselage will exert great force onaccount of the leverage: assuming the nose of the machine to be thefulcrum, pressure at the back will be very great and easily bring thetail to the right or left from the center of travel in falling. In atail spin the machine does not fall in a true line with the center ofgravity but spins around in corkscrew fashion, the tail inscribing acircle. It is this motion that would cause air to get under the tailvane and open it and throw the tail to the right or left of the line offall, thus bringing the wings and front of the machine over on its sideto a volplane.

As shown, the vane 30 is of greater width than that of the fuselage walladjacent to which it lies.

In Figures 6 and 7 is shown a modification of the invention in which thefuselogo and cabin structures are a part of the same body and the vacuumchamber is mounted above the cabin as a separate body. In thisembodiment the cabin is indicated by 47, the rear portion of thefuselage by48, the vacuum'chamber by 49, the wings by 50, the airchannel vanes by 51, the tail vane by 52, the engine by 53, thestabilizers by 54, the elevator b 55 and the rudder by 56.

It is to e noted that in both embodiments of the invention the width ofthe cabin is less than the space between the adjacent ends of the wings.This is of importance for the reason that if the machine is volplaningor settling the air currents will pass up vertically through the airpassages along the side of the vacuum chamber to create a vacuum or areaof low pressure over the chamber even though the burbling oint has beenreached on the top surface 0 the wings. In other words, when the planeis in forward motion, volplaning or settling down vertically, a vacuumWlll be formed in the air chamber. The wings only create a vacuum in theforward motion of the machine.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought the construction, operation andadvantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, itbeing understood, however, that I do not limit myself to precise detailsof construction, changes in which may readily be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention and the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In aeroplanes, the combination with a body comprising a keel, sidewalls upwardly diverging from the keel, a cabin beneath the fore part ofthe keel, said side walls projecting forwardly and upwardly from thefront of the cabin, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined wall at thefront joining said side walls, and an upwardly and rearwardly curvednose wall extending from the upper end of said downwardly and rearwardlyinclined wall partly over the top of said side walls, a to wall for thepart of the body to the rear 0 the cabin, that portion above the cabinbeing open at the top from said nose to said top wall, wings extendinglaterally of the keel and spaced from said body and provided at .theiradjacent edges with upwardly extending vertical vanes, a rudder andelevators at the rear of said body, and a motor and propeller mounted atthe front of said bod'y. a

2. In aeroplanes, the combination with a body comprising a keel, sidewalls upwardly diverging from the keel, a cabin beneath the fore part ofthe keel, said side walls project. ing forwardly and upwardly from thefront of. the cabin, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined wall at thefront joining said side walls, and an upwardly and rearwardly curvednose wall extending from the upper end of said downwardly and rearwardlyinclined wall part1 over the top of said side walls, a top wal for thepart of the body to the rear of the cabin, that portion above the cabinbeing open at the top from said nose to said top wall, wings extendinglaterally of the keel and spaced from said body and provided at theiradjacent edges with upwardly extending vertical vanes, a rudder andelevators at the rear of said body, and a motor and propeller mounted atthe front of said body, said vertical vanes being of less height abovethe edge of the plane than is the top of the open part of said body.

3. In aeroplanes, a fuselage including a keel. a cabin extendingdownwardly from the keel, said fuselage having an open top chamberextending over the cabin and having a top plane surface from saidchamber to the tail end ofthe fuselage, means to deflect the air streamover said open chamber to create a suction above said chamber, wingsspaced from said fuselage and extending laterally, a rudder andelevators mounted at the rear of said fuselage, substantially as shownand described.

4. In aeroplanes, a fuselage including a keel, a cabin extendingdownwardly from the keel, said fuselage having an open top chamberextending over the cabin and having a top plane surface from saidchamber to the tail end of the fuselage, means to deflect the air streamover said open chamber to create a suction above said chamber, wingsspaced from said fuselage at approximately the keel level and extendinglaterally, a rudder and elevators mounted at the rear of said fuselage,substantially as shown and described.

5. In aeroplanes, a fuselage including a keel, a cabin extendingdownwardly from the keel, said fuselage having an open top chamberextending over the cabin and having a top plane surface from saidchamber to the tail end of the fuselage, means to deflect the air streamover said open chamber to create a suction above said chamber, wingsspaced from said fuselage and extending laterally, a rudder andelevators mounted at the rear of said fuselage, and a tail spin checkvane mounted to lie on and be parallel with the fuselage when thevehicle is in forward flight and having provisions to open up at anangle to the fuselage when the vehicle is in tail spins.

6. In aeroplanes, a fuselage of approximately' V-shape in cross sectionhaving approximately the fore half open at the top and the remainderclosed at the top, said fuselage having an air deflecting nose includinga surface to deflect the air upwardly and over the open part of the toponto the closed part thereof to produce an area of low pres sure in andover the open portion of the fuselage, *wi'ngs at each'side of thefuselage and at the fore part thereof, stabilizers, elevators and arudder at the rear part of the fuselage, a cabin located below the opentop of the fuselage, and a motor and propeller at the front of thefuselage.

7.1 In aeroplanes, a fuselage of approximately V-shape in cross sectionhaving approximately the fore half open at the top and the remainderclosed atthe top, said fuselage having an air deflecting nose includinga surface to deflect the air upwardly and over the open part of the toponto the closed part thereof to produce an area of low pressure in andover the open portion of the fuselage, wings at each side of thefuselage and at the fore part thereof, stabilizers, elevators and arudder at the rear part of the fuselage, a cabin located below the opentop of the fuse- -lage,'and a motor and propeller at the front of thefuselage, said nose also having a downwardly and rear-wardly inclinedfront surface.

8. In aeroplanes, a fusela e of approximately V-shape in cross sectionhaving approximately the fore-half open at the top and the remainderclosed at the top, said fuselage having an air deflecting nose includinga surface to deflect the air upwardly and over the open part of the toponto the closed part thereof to produce an area of low pressure in andover the open portion of the fuselage, wings at each side of thefuselage and at the fore part thereof, stabilizers, elevators and arudder at the rear part of the fuselage, a cabin located below the opentop of the fuselage, and a motor and propeller at the front of thefuselage, said nose also having a downwardly and rearwardly inclinedfront surface, and said wings being spaced from the fuselage andprovided with air channel vanes at their edges adjacent the fuselage forthe purpose specified.

9. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally.

10. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface. said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the' chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, and wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally,said win body an having air channel vanes at their adjacent ends.

11. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air'stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebodyand keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally,-

said keel extendingforwardly of said nose, and a motor and propellermounted on said forwardly extended portion of the keel.

12. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprisin a keel, a hollow body structureon the kee the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an u wardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the bod a cabin beneath the chambered portion 0 the bodyand keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, said Wingsbeing spaced from-the keel and body and having air channel vanes attheir adjacent ends, said keel extending forwardly of said nose, and amotor and propeller mounted on said forwardly extended portion of thekeel.

13. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, and wings extending from adjacent the keel laterall saidwings being spaced from the keel an body and having air channel vanes attheir adjacent ends, said body having side walls -upwardly divergingfrom said keel and said vanes being located in vertical planes,substantially as shown and described.

14. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and s being spaced from the keel and. p

rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardly and rearwardly directedsurface, said body having an open top chamber at the front over whichthe upwardly and rearwardly directed surface deflects the air stream toevacuate the chamber; elevators and a rudder at the rear of the body, acabin beneath the chambered portion of the body and keel, wingsextending from adjacent thekeel laterally, saidwingsbeing spaced fromthe keel and body and having air channel vanes at their adjacent ends,said keel extending forwardly of said nose, and a motor and propellermounted on said forwardly extended portion of the keel,said body havingside walls upwardly diverging from said keel and said vanes beinglocated in vertical planes, substantially as shown and described.

15. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, and atail spin check plane hinged to said body to the rear of said open topchamber and lying flat along the body when in forward flight and openingup at an angle to the body in tail spins.

16. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air defleeting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, saidwings being spaced from the keel and body and having air channel vanesat their adjacent ends, and a tail spin check plane hinged to said bodyto the rear of said open top chamber and lying flat along the body whenin forward flight and opening up at an angle to the body in tail spins.

17. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air defleeting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a .rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, saidkeel extending forwardly of said nose, amotor and propeller mounted onsaidforwardly extended portion of the keel, and a tail spin check planehinged to said body to the rear of said open top chamber and lying flatalong the body when in forward flight and opening up at an angle to thebody in tail spins.

18. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which thevupwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, saidwings being spaced-fromthe keel and body and having air channel vanes attheir adjacent ends, said keel extending forwardly of said nose, a motorand propeller mounted on said forwardly extended portion of the keel,and a tail spin check plane hinged to said body to the rear of said opentop chamber and lying flat along the body when in forward flight andopening up at an angle to the body in tail spins.

19. In aeroplanes, a fuselage comprising a keel, a hollow body structureon the keel, the front end of which structure has an air deflecting nosecomprising a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plane and an upwardlyand rearwardly directed surface, said body having an open top chamber atthe front over which the upwardly and rearwardly directed surfacedeflects the air stream to evacuate the chamber, elevators and a rudderat the rear of the body, a cabin beneath the chambered portion of thebody and keel, wings extending from adjacent the keel laterally, a tailspin check plane hinged to said body to the rear of said open topchamber and lying flat along the body when in forward flight and openingup at anangle to the body in tail spins, and means on the body beneathsaid tail spin check bar to hold same spaced a sufficient distance fromthe body to avoid formation of a vacuum between said body and said tailspin check bar.

20. In an aeroplane, a keel, a motor and propeller mounted on the keel,a tubular body located on and over the keel, a cabin located beneath thekeel, wings extending laterally of the keel and spaced therefrom, saidbody having that portion above vthe cabin provided with an open top andthat portion extending forwardly of the. cabin provided with a nosehaving downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and rearwardly directedsurfaces whereby the air stream is divided and a portion is forceddownwardly and laterally, and another portion is passed upwardly overthe open top part of the tubular body for the purposes specified.

21. In an aeroplane, a keel, a motor and propeller mounted on the keel,a tubular body located on and over the keel, a cabin located beneath thekeel, wings extending laterally of the keel and spaced therefrom, saidbody having that portion above the cabin provided with an open top andthat portion extending forwardly of the cabin provided with an airdeflecting nose, and that portion above the cabin having upwardlydiverging side walls, whereby the air currents create an area of lowpressure above the open top.

22. In aeroplanes, a fuselage body comprising an elongated tubularstructure having an open top chamber in its fore part, means to directthe air currents encountered in forward flight to create an area of lowpressure above the chamber, a passenger carrying body beneath saidchamber wings, and the usual lateral and vertical stabilizers and flightcontrolling elevators and rudders and vertical air passages between theside of said fuselage and the adjacent ends of said win s.

23. In aeroplanes, an elongated bo y, stabilizers, a rudder andelevators for said body, win s for said body, landing gear beneath saibodv, said wings being spaced apart from the body, and a vacuum chamberlocated between said wings and open at the top, the walls of whichchamber are so inclined as to deflect the air currents over and awayfrom the open top of said chamber and produce an area of negativepressure above said chamber.

24. In aeroplanes, a body, stabilizers, elevators and a rudder, wingsspaced apart from the body and provided with air channel vanes, an opento chamber between said wings, the walls 0 which chamber are arranged todeflect the upward air currents so as to produce an area of low pressureover said chamber.

25. In an aeroplane, a body including a cabin, wings extending laterallyfrom the cabin but spaced apart to provide air passages, elevators, anda rudder at the rear of said body, said body having an.open top chamberabove the cabin between the wings and having an air deflecting nose atthe front of said chamber,for the purposes described.

26. In an aeroplane, a body including a cabin, wings extending laterallyfrom the cabin but spaced apart to provide air passages, elevators, anda rudder at the rear of said body, said body having an open top chamberabove the cabin between the wings and having an air deflecting nose atthe front of said chamber, the side walls of said chamber divergingupwardly, and said wings at their adjacent ends having air channelvanes, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

27. In an aeroplane, a body including a cabin, wings extending laterallfrom the cabin but spaced apart to provide air passages, elevators and arudder at the rear of said body, said body having an open top chamberabove the cabin between the wings and having an air deflecting nose atthe front of said chamber, the side walls of said chamber divergingupwardly, and said wings at their adjacent ends having air channelvanes, and means to prevent the air currents from curling over the sidewalls of the said chamber.

, EDWARD H. LANIER.

